The Top 5 Hurricane Books for Kids and Children Looking to Learn More About Hurricanes and Other Natural Disasters.
Hurricane season is approaching, so it makes sense that parents and educators are searching for the best hurricane books for kids and students. Going through a hurricane can be a scary experience, so it’s natural for children to have questions about hurricanes.
If you live in a hurricane-prone area, have young children, or are a teacher with young students, learning about hurricanes effectively dispels some of the fear surrounding these severe weather events.
To help make learning about hurricanes easier, we’ve collected five of the best hurricane books for kids.
Hurricanes, Kids, and Understanding Natural Disasters
Kids are super sensitive small people, and while they often exist in their own little world, it doesn’t mean they’re oblivious to the things happening around them, especially severe weather events such as hurricanes and other natural disasters.
They hear and see pieces from the TV and overhear conversations between parents, siblings, and other children. If you’re anxious or worried about an approaching hurricane or severe weather event, there’s a good chance they’ve picked up on it and will be concerned, too.
Just because you don’t think they’re listening or haven’t specifically explained or said that a hurricane may be on the way, doesn’t mean they haven’t figured something out alone. If you’re worried, scared, or nervous, they are probably a lot more afraid and anxious.
Starting Discussions About Hurricanes and Other Weather Events
Talking openly and discussing extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, or even reading the best hurricane books for kids, can be an effective way to give children a chance to express their thoughts. They’ll have the opportunity to ask you questions, raise their concerns, and share what they understand about hurricanes and other severe weather events.
Of course, having this conversation as a hurricane approaches isn’t practical. However, having it at the start of hurricane season or moving to a hurricane-prone area is a good idea.
Consider starting the conversation with a question, “Have you heard about hurricanes?” and then you can follow up with, “Can you tell me what you know about hurricanes?”
Give your child or students an opportunity to tell you what they already know about hurricanes and any concerns they have about hurricanes. You could follow up with, “I know a great book about hurricanes. Would you like to read it together so we can learn more about hurricanes?”
Learning about hurricanes and other severe weather events and natural disasters is an effective way to reduce a child’s anxiety and worry. It also helps them to build empathy for other people who may be dealing with hurricanes or going through a natural disaster. Below are some of the best hurricane books for kids to help you start a beneficial conversation with your child or students.
The Top 5 Hurricane Books for Kids and Young Students
Hurricanes! Written by Gail Gibbons | Available on Amazon
With more extreme weather approaching, Hurricanes! By author Gail Gibbons has been recently updated with a new edition available that covers what hurricanes are, safety tips, and much more.
In the latest edition of Hurricanes! Readers will be introduced to what hurricanes are, hurricane-related vocabulary, wind speeds, categories, emergency preparedness, and much more.
Max and the Mighty Hurricane | Navigating Natural Disasters series
Written by Chrissy Hobbs and Ben Jackson | Available on Amazon
As a hurricane approaches Max’s coastal home, Max is scared. He’s unsure what will happen, but he’s at home with his family, and his parents are as prepared as possible for the approaching hurricane.
Max isn’t completely unfamiliar with hurricanes, and over the years, several hurricanes have come close to his town, and many of the locals still talk about them. Max and the Mighty Hurricane explores the natural fears of a child forced to face a hurricane. As Max and his family, friends, and neighbors come together, they show us the power of community in the face of a major natural disaster.
This book is an engaging resource for parents, grandparents, and educators to help young people understand and accept our natural fears of extreme weather events and plan ahead to survive them. Included are checklists for emergency supplies, links for online resources, and an Award of Merit for young weather heroes.
Look Inside Wild Weather | Written by Emily Bone | Available on Amazon
In the board book designed for younger readers, children will be able to discover all kinds of wild weather events, including tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, and much more. As you read through Look Inside Wild Weather, children will have over 50 different flaps to lift and learn weather facts, including climate change, storms, fires, cyclones, and much more.
Numenia and the Hurricane | Written by Fiona Halliday | Available on Amazon
As the autumnal equinox begins, Numenia and thousands of other birds take off, beginning their long and arduous journey from the cold weather of the Arctic to the warmer sunshine in the Caribbean. However, their journey is far from easy, with a hurricane interrupting their journey and wild winds hammering them the entire way.
Numenia and the Hurricane, which is inspired by the true story of a whimbrel who fought her way through a devastating storm, brings a brave little shorebird to life through poetic language and vividly expressive art by a debut author-illustrator.
All About Weather | Written by Huda Harajli | Available on Amazon
From warm days during summer to the cold winter nights, All About Weather is an introductory book for kids ages between 3 to 5 that takes a close look at the four seasons, summer, winter, spring, and fall. If your child has ever asked you why the sky is blue? What causes rainbows? Or where does rain come from? Then this is the book for you.
If you have a future meteorologist in your family, All About Weather is worth a closer look at.
Best Hurricane Books for Kids | Conclusion
If you live in a hurricane-prone area or have a young child interested in learning more about severe weather events and natural disasters, then books like Max and the Mighty Hurricane and some of the other best hurricane books for kids we covered above are well worth a closer look.
Thanks for learning more about our series, Navigating Natural Disasters. If you have any questions about the series or one of the individual books, don’t hesitate to contact us via the Contact Us page.
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The Navigating Natural Disasters series is available on Amazon and through all good book retailers. Stay tuned for upcoming titles!
